Demon's Destiny
by Joe Fenton
Summary: My first Ranma 1/2 - Tenchi Muyo crossover. Ranma winds up with a slightly different curse. He will soon be drawn into an intergalactic struggle beyond his reckoning.
1. Killing The Past And Coming Back To Life

A Ranma 1/2 / Tenchi Muyo_!_ Ryo-Ohki crossover series. Rated PG-13.

This story and a few others can be found on my web page at  
http://www.geocities.com/jlfenton65/  
jlfenton65@yahoo.com  
  
Ranma 1/2 is a trademark of Viz Communications, Inc. and was created by Rumiko Takahashi.  
Tenchi Muyo_!_ and its characters are the property of AIC and Pioneer LDC, Inc. and was created by Masaki Kajishima.  
This story is of my own derivation and is not intended for commercial purposes, so please don't sue me.  


Author's Notes: This is a crossover with Tenchi Muyo_!_ Ryo-Ohki, not Tenchi Universe, and _definitely_ not Tenchi in Tokyo. For details on the _true_ Tenchi Muyo_!_, go check out the link  
http://www.geocities.com/mpfenton_86001/tenchi/ttm.html

Demon's Destiny

Chapter 1: Killing The Past And Coming Back To Life

by Joe Fenton

~~~~ seven hundred years ago ~~~~

A crimson and white crystalline star ship approached the blue planet, a Juraian first-generation battleship close behind. The lead ship dropped down into the atmosphere, hoping to shake the pursuit. The Juraian ship stuck doggedly to its tail, releasing a salvo of energy beams as it got the chance. The other ship was able to dodge the shots successfully, but as a result of their speed, the drag of the atmosphere, and the rotation of the planet, they veered away from a group of large islands they had been approaching, moving much further into the mainland of the continent west of the islands.

****

The Jusenkyo guide yawned as he watched the sunset darken into night. Life at the cursed springs was mostly long stretches of boredom interspersed with brief moments of tragedy. Every so often, some poor soul would be drawn to the springs. The lucky ones left with a curse; the unlucky ones stayed to pass a new curse on to the next unwary visitor.

The magic of Jusenkyo never seemed to touch a guide or their immediate family. The current guide sometimes wondered at that. He supposed the magic knew it was in the spring's own interest for there to be a guide. No one would take such a position if it meant risking a curse, either on themselves or on their family. He had taken over from his father almost a decade ago. He thought he had seen it all.

Several bright flashes in the sky to the east drew his attention. A flurry of streaks like shooting stars were followed by another large flash of light. Where the last flash occurred, a streak lanced down to the earth in the next valley over from Jusenkyo. An explosion the likes of which the guide could barely comprehend briefly lit the sky to daylight levels. The guide stood quaking, wondering if he should flee, or go see what had happened. Before he could decide, several smaller explosions lit the mountain pass leading toward the springs, each one successively closer than the last. His decision made, the guide fled toward his hut.

****

Yosho pursued his quarry down into the valley. Ryoko occasionally fired a ki-bolt at him, forcing Yosho to dodge or deflect it using a lighthawk wing. The space pirate stopped amidst the pools that dotted the valley. A trio of tiny stars lit the surrounding pools as her gems flared with power. Radial electric fields suspended Ryoko in the air as she powered up; the energy ionized air particles making the field lines visible.

"How good of you to come rushing to your death!" Ryoko gloated as the ecstasy of the power of the gems filled her.

Yosho firmed his stance. He needed to get inside where he could use the master key. He was certain Tsunami's power could contain the gems. The problem was that Ryoko was keeping him at a distance. Maybe he could draw Ryoko to him.

"Tired of running, Demon? Funaho has already disposed of that garbage scow you called a vessel. You won't be any harder to deal with."

"RRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!" Ryoko slammed him into the side of a nearby hillock. Her eyes blazed red in hatred. She gathered a large ball of ki in one hand. "I shall burn you down to _ashes_ for that!!" She moved in close so her foe would be unable to dodge her blast.

Yosho waited as long as he dared, allowing Ryoko to loom overhead. In a flash of motion, Yosho ignited Tenchi-ken, thrusting it up at gem blazing at Ryoko's throat.

"Tsunami aid me!" Yosho gasped harshly as he struggled to hold a thrashing Ryoko in place at the end of the master key's blade.

The gem on Ryoko's left wrist flared and disappeared. A globe of light appeared in the blade of the master key, flowing down its length to disappear as it reached the hilt. As it disappeared, a red gem formed at the end of the hilt of the sword. The gem on Ryoko's right wrist went next. Ryoko redoubled her efforts to free herself as Yosho used all his strength to hold her in place. Her struggles weakened and died as the gem at her throat was drawn into the master key.

Ryoko dropped to the ground and stumbled backward, dazed at the loss of her power source. Finally losing consciousness, she fell over backward into a small pool behind her. The water closed over her, then stilled.

Yosho fell to his knees, panting at his exertions. He watched the pool for a long moment, then forced himself upright. He'd best retrieve Ryoko and get on with the sealing. He took a couple steps towards the spring. A shout made him pause.

"Exalted Warrior! Wait! Do not enter the pool!"

Yosho turned to eye the rapidly approaching man as he had Funaho translate the language through their link.

The man stopped a few paces from him, panting from sprinting over to prevent yet another tragedy.

Yosho gave him a moment to regain his breath. "Is there a problem?"

The guide bowed low. "This was an uncursed spring. The demon you were fighting has drown."

Yosho frowned. "This demon cannot die that way." He turned to enter the pool. A hand on his arm stopped him.

The guide paled and released Yosho as the warrior turned to confront him. He all but prostrated himself. "Forgive me Honored Sir! I mean no disrespect, but this is Jusenkyo! The springs here hold cursed magic - uncursed springs draw in the unaware and unfortunate to drown in their depths. From that point, whoever or whatever enters the pool is cursed to become what drown there when splashed with cold water!"

Yosho looked dubiously at the still pool. Ryoko might be stunned at the loss of her gems, but she should have come around by now. He pointed at the pool.

"So if I were to enter this spring, I would take on the form of the demon who just fell into it?"

The guide nodded nervously. "This is very distressing. There are a few springs here which hold _powerful_ cursed forms. It is the blessing of the kami that more do not fall into them. Those living nearby have become strong to fight those unfortunate enough to be so cursed. Every spring has its own tragic story, some more tragic than others."

Yosho pondered on the problem - he had a brief image of a dozen Ryokos walking the land. "That won't do."

He had hoped to bind Ryoko in a place much closer to his mother's homeland. He had a desire to see the people his mother had told him so much about. He turned the thought over in his mind. He didn't _have_ to be close by - Funaho could monitor Ryoko from anywhere on the planet, and the master key would hold the seal indefinitely. He nodded as he made up his mind. He would seal Ryoko _and_ the spring together.

****

The guide looked in awe at the what the heavenly warrior had wrought in the last week. An arabesque of glowing lines of water surrounded the spring. A small shrine sat to one side.

Yosho placed the master key into the shrine. "So long as the divine object remains in the shrine, the pool shall remain sealed."

Yosho shook his head at the religions of the region. Removing a divine object from a shrine was a capital offense, even more reviled than rape or murder. It would work in his favor in this instance.

The guide bowed, then resumed writing. He would leave a record for future guides; this pool would be one of the few safe pools, but only so long as the divine object was left undisturbed. Such pools were to be treasured in Jusenkyo.

Yosho had Funaho teleport him back aboard. "Can we make it to Mother's homeland?"

Funaho considered the amount of damage sustained in the battle with Ryo-Ohki. "I can make one more jump before the damage to the external armor and flight control systems is irrevocable."

Yosho took one last look at the valley on the monitors before nodding. "Take us there."

The guide paused in his writing as the huge wooden sky boat streaked off toward the rising sun, obviously taking the warrior back to heaven.

~~~~ one month ago ~~~~

A teenage boy with his black hair gathered in a ponytail followed an older man with a bandana tied over his head. They were dressed in worn practice outfits and carried heavy packs. The guide waved at the multitude of pools, each sporting a few bamboo poles at various locations.

"Here sirs, the famous training ground - Jusenkyo. Are over one hundred spring, each with own tragic story."

Ranma gave the training ground a bored look. "This place doesn't look like much."

The guide boggled. "You very strange one, sir. Training ground very dangerous. _Nobody_ use anymore."

Genma shrugged out of his pack. "Might as well get some exercise while we're here. Let's go, boy!" He sprang onto the closest pole.

Ranma dropped his pack and sprang onto another pole. "Ready for a bath, old man?"

Genma readied himself. "Don't expect me to go easy on you!"

Ranma smirked, "Like you ever do."

The guide tried to get their attention. "Please, sir! Very bad if you fall in spring!"

The pair paid him no attention as they sprang toward each other. They exchanged blows a few times before Ranma gained the advantage. A flying kick knocked Genma into one of the pools.

Ranma looked at the pool, waiting for his father to surface. "How's the water, Pop?"

A large body sprang from the pool to alight on one of the poles. Ranma stared at the large panda in shock.

"What the..."

The guide decided he was probably ready to listen. "That one _Spring of Drowned Panda_! Is tragic legend, very tragic, of panda who drown there two thousand year ago!"

Ranma looked more closely at the panda. It was wearing a badly stretch gi-top, and a pair of glasses dangled from one ear. "P-p-pop?"

The guide continued. "Now, whoever fall in that spring take body of panda!"

Ranma jumped to the side as the panda jumped at him with a roar. "Wait, Pop!"

The panda followed Ranma further into the training grounds. Ranma almost made the far side before the panda finally managed to knock him from the pole he was on.

Ranma surfaced, patting himself frantically.

The guide ran up, a look of relief on his face. "Young sir very lucky! Is one of only three safe pool in Jusenkyo."

The panda sprang down next to the guide. "Growlf?"

The guide produced a kettle, then poured it over the panda. "Hot water change you back, but only until splashed with cold water."

Ranma climbed out of the pool, then gaped as the panda changed back into his father.

Genma frowned at his son. "How come _he_ falls in a safe pool, while I wind up a panda?"

Ranma's smirk was even wider. "Maybe the kami are trying to tell you something."

The guide pointed to a small shrine on the side of the spring. "Shrine here protect those who fall in. Only wish were more."

Genma wandered over to the shrine and opened it. The wooden hilt of an old sword was revealed. The sword itself probably wasn't worth much, but the gems embedded in the hilt might be. He grasped the hilt and pulled.

The guide gasped in shock. "Sir! Is grave sin to remove divine object from shrine!"

Genma ignored him as a sudden surge of pain flared up his arm and into his body. The spasm cause him to jerk the hilt free from the rusted blade. His body continued to convulse until he reflexively tossed the hilt away. It landed in the spring, floating out to the middle.

Genma slowly recovered, shaking his numb arm. He looked at where the hilt floated out of reach. "I don't want to get wet because of my curse." He shoved Ranma into the spring. "The pool is safe, so you can go get it, boy!"

The water started to bubble, then formed into an increasingly larger whirlpool. Arcs of electricity raced across the surface of the pool, which was glowing a bright red. An arabesque of glowing lines of water blasted clear seven hundred years of dirt and vegetation to outline the agitated spring in an eerie blue light.

Genma grabbed the terrified guide and began to shake him. "What drown there?!"

The guide stammered, "Scroll say this _Spring of Drowned Demon_! Is very fortunate legend of Divine Warrior from Heaven who defeat demon and seal pool with shrine seven hundred year ago. Only now you defile shrine! Young customer now become too too powerful demon!"

A form encircled in a sphere of power floated free of the water. Arcs of energy lanced between the pool and the form as it hovered. Red, glowing eyes focused on Genma. The form glided away from the pool toward the petrified men.

"Stupid old man!!!" The figure held a hand out and a field of ki formed in front of it.

Genma trembled as the field coalesced into a bright point in the figure's hand. He did the only sensible thing he could think of - he passed out.

The ki gathered by the figure glowed brighter each passing second, then sputtered. The figure fell bonelessly to the ground. The guide rushed forward and splashed the figure with the water remaining in the kettle. He gave a prayer of relief as it changed back into the young man.

****

At a shrine near Okayama, Japan, Katsuhito Masaki looked up from penning a fortune as Funaho informed him of Ryoko's release. A bright light shot into the sky from the Holy Tree of Masaki as Funaho sent the information via a tight-beam transmission to the Royal Trees of Jurai.

_End Chapter 1_


	2. The Past Catching Up With You

A Ranma 1/2 / Tenchi Muyo_!_ Ryo-Ohki crossover series. Rated PG-13.

This story and a few others can be found on my web page at  
http://www.geocities.com/jlfenton65/  
jlfenton65@yahoo.com  
  
Ranma 1/2 is a trademark of Viz Communications, Inc. and was created by Rumiko Takahashi.  
Tenchi Muyo_!_ and its characters are the property of AIC and Pioneer LDC, Inc. and was created by Masaki Kajishima.  
This story is of my own derivation and is not intended for commercial purposes, so please don't sue me.  


Author's Notes: This is a crossover with Tenchi Muyo_!_ Ryo-Ohki. The time period is the standard time for Ranma, and the spring before the summer break when Tenchi would have released Ryoko in OVA episode 1 for Tenchi.

Demon's Destiny

Chapter 2: The Past Catching Up With You

by Joe Fenton

A young woman with wild cyan hair and a skin-tight red and black outfit floated through the streets of Nerima following a giant panda. The panda glared at the girl and held out a sign.

'A _real_ martial artist _walks_ everywhere!'

Ranma smirked, "You're just jealous 'cause _I_ can fly!" She smiled and flipped onto her back, still floating through the air with her hands laced under her head. "So why are we goin' to see this friend a yours?"

The panda held up another sign. 'You're going to meet your fiancée.'

Ranma almost hit the ground in shock. "WHAT?! You picked out who you want me to marry without asking me?!"

She stopped floating after the panda, hands on her hips. "Screw that! I'm goin' to find someone who can read the scroll!"

The panda tried to attack the floating girl. Before the blow could land, Ranma teleported to the side. The panda landed on a street sign, knocking it out of the ground. It picked up the sign and started trying to swat the floating figure from the sky.

Ranma just phased, allowing the sign to pass harmlessly through her body. "Quit it! You're making me _mad_, old man!"

The panda ignored her and kept trying to attack. Ranma's eyes glowed red. "That's it!"

The panda froze as Ranma powered up. It held out a sign. 'This is going to hurt.'

Ranma unleased exactly three ki-bolts before passing out and falling on top of the fried panda.

The panda gradually stirred, then pushed Ranma off so it could sit up. It levered itself up using the sign, then picked up Ranma and their packs.

****

Soun looked over the postcard once more. It said that today, his old friend would be bringing his son. He had received the postcard a week ago; perhaps it was time he informed the girls.

He went to the kitchen where he knew he would find his eldest. "Kasumi?"

She paused in her actions. "Yes, Daddy?"

"We have visitors coming today. You will need to make dinner for two more this evening." He left the kitchen and headed up to his middle child's bedroom. He knocked lightly.

"Nabiki? We have guests coming. Please come downstairs." He moved over to his youngest girl's room and knocked.

"Akane?" Hearing no response, he opened the door. "Akane?"

Nabiki paused at the head of the stairs. "She should be back from jogging any time now. I'll get her when she comes in." She went downstairs and out the sliding doors to wait near the practice hall. Akane would head straight there after her jog. Sure enough, a short wait later, Akane entered the structure. Nabiki stopped her before she could get too wrapped up in her workout.

"You might want to get cleaned up before our guests arrive."

Akane paused and looked over. "We have guests coming?"

Nabiki nodded. "Yes. And if you want to make a good impression, you'll go take a bath."

Akane thought it over, then followed Nabiki back to the house.

****

"_Fiancé_?!"

Soun nodded. "Yes. My old training partner is bringing his son by today. If one of you were to marry him and carry on the school, the Tendo family legacy would be secure."

Akane snorted, "Well, _that_ was a complete waste. Skipping my workout and taking a bath for _nothing_." She stood to leave.

Soun gave her a look. "I want you all to consider this very carefully. This engagement was made on the family honor."

Akane froze. An agreement made on the family honor would not be easily broken. She decided to fall back on what she was good at - getting mad. "I'm not marrying some perverted boy! Besides, we should have a say in who we marry!"

Nabiki asked, "What do you know about this old friend's son, Daddy?"

Soun leaned back and gave the girls a sage look. "His name is Ranma, and he's been on a training trip for the last ten years."

Nabiki frowned. "And?"

Soun looked bewildered. "And what?"

Akane burst out in anger, "And what is he like?!"

Soun laughed nervously. "I haven't the slightest idea."

The girls stared in incomprehension at their father. Nabiki found her voice first.

"No idea?!"

Soun shook his head. "I've never met the boy." He noticed the expression on Akane's face and decided that hadn't been the best response he could have made. He waved his hands placatively. "They'll be here any moment now. You can get to know each other better."

He was saved from at least a severe tongue lashing by the arrival of someone at the front gate.

"They're here!" Kasumi stood and headed for the kitchen. It was her place as hostess to provide refreshments.

Nabiki stayed at the table while Akane followed her father to the main entrance. Her eyes widened as the pair came running back to the living room, a giant panda close behind them. Upon reaching the living room, the panda dumped a young woman with cyan hair and a skin-tight red and black suit on the floor.

Nabiki asked of no one in particular, "Why did a panda bring this girl here?"

Kasumi moved in from the kitchen to check on her. "Is she all right?"

The panda held out a sign. 'He'll be fine.' It flipped the sign around. 'He always overdoes it with his ki attacks.'

Akane gawked at the display, then looked back at the girl. It was obviously a woman - the outfit left no room for doubt. "That panda may be smart enough to use signs, but it doesn't know anything about the difference between guys and girls!"

It gave her a disgusted look, then held out another sign. 'Can I get some hot water?'

Kasumi retreated back to the kitchen to reappear shortly with the kettle. Everyone stared as the panda poured it over its head and changed into a older bald man.

Soun was stunned. "Genma? If you're that panda, then..." He pointed at the girl on the floor.

Genma poured the rest of the kettle over his unconscious son. As Ranma changed back to his male form, the outfit that had covered his cursed form vanished, leaving him naked. Soun passed out, falling next to the boy on the floor. The girls just stared.

****

Everyone was awake and gathered around the low table. The girls sat on cushions while the guests knelt across from them. Ranma was angry at his father for leaving him naked on the living room floor; he was now dressed in a red, sleeveless Chinese shirt and black drawstring pants. The girls were all red-faced from the inadvertent display. Genma looked anything but apologetic.

Soun decided it was up to him to make the introductions. "This is my old friend and training partner."

Genma bowed. "Genma Saotome. And this is my son." He elbowed Ranma.

Ranma frowned at him, then bowed slightly. "Ranma Saotome. Sorry about this."

Kasumi looked at the pair. "How did you come to be this way?"

Genma intoned gravely, "It was at the training ground of Jusenkyo."

Soun nodded in understanding. "The legendary ground of accursed springs. Its true horror has always been shrouded in mystery."

Ranma whirled on his father. "WHAT?! You _knew_ the place was cursed?!" He grabbed Genma by the collar, pulling him over. "What's the idea of takin' me to place like that, anyway?!"

Genma grabbed Ranma's wrist, then flipped him out the sliding doors and into the koi pond. "You sound like a girl!" The girl with wild cyan hair surfaced. The look on her face told Genma, that hadn't been the brightest idea.

Ranma stalked back to the house, eyes glowing red. She was about to pound Genma when she noticed the others cringing away in apprehension. She sighed and got control back. It was just so easy to mad in this form. Her eyes stopped glowing, allowing the others to see the yellow irises and slitted pupils.

Akane rounded on her father. "I'm not marrying him! No matter _how_ nice his body is!" She froze solid as she realized she'd said that last part out loud. She stood mortified as Nabiki snickered. "I - I mean, he's got to be a pervert!"

Ranma took offense. "What?! How can you call me that?!"

"You - you were wearing that skin-tight suit as a girl, then you were laying around our living room naked!"

"That's a _battle-suit_! And it doesn't carry over to my guy-side! It's not my fault! I was unconscious!" Ranma fumed.

Nabiki was intrigued by the remark. "A battle-suit?"

Ranma nodded. "Yeah. It's strong enough to handle any weapon I've come across so far." She waved at her current form as the suit appeared under her clothes. "But it's only a part of my cursed form. I can only make it appear while like this, and it disappears when I change back."

Nabiki's eyes narrowed as she schemed. "So, what else does this cursed form do?"

Ranma smirked as she considered the positive points she'd discovered so far. "Well, my ki is just incredible, and I seem to be able to use it unconsciously."

She demonstrated by using a small ki-bolt on Genma, who fell on his back, stunned. The Tendos boggled at the scorched man.

"I also seem to be able to do things unrelated to ki - like fly, or walk through walls."

The response was predictable. "You can fly?!"

Ranma floated up into the air in response. "Yeah. And watch this!"

She teleported behind Genma as he was sitting up and kicked him into the koi pond.

Akane frowned at the display, then got a hungry look. "So if I jumped into this spring, I'd be able to fly and do ki-attacks?"

Ranma shook her head. "Something happened when I was cursed. The guide figured it was because Pop threw the divine object into the spring."

Akane looked skeptical. "Divine object?"

Ranma rooted through her pack. She brought a well-wrapped object over to the table. She dropped it and shook her hand. "No one can touch it. Even wrapped like that, it's still pretty bad." She unwrapped it and carefully slid a hand under the wrapping it rested on. She flipped it quickly over to her father as he came back in, water dripping from his fur.

The panda caught the flying object by reflex and immediately went into convulsions. He dropped the object as he fell unconscious.

Ranma wrapped it up once more and placed it back into her pack. She brought back an old scroll. "Pop woulda sold it by now except for that. But anyway, the pool no longer seems to be cursed, so the guide let me have the thing along with this scroll in case it helps me find a cure."

Akane frowned. "Well, what does it say?"

Ranma shrugged. "Beats me. I can't read Chinese."

Akane rolled her eyes and snatched the scroll from the girl's hand. She perused the scroll for a minute as Ranma and Nabiki looked over her shoulder.

Nabiki frowned. "So what's it say?"

Akane looked thoughtful. "It's an older form of Chinese."

Ranma gave her a disgusted look. "So you can't read it either."

She glared up at Ranma. "I didn't say that!" She pointed at one passage. "The night sky did turn to day as the demon made its way from the pit. The warrior of Heaven did appear and give battle with the forces of light-" She paused a moment. "Or is that 'with a force of light'... the latter." She continued reading the story until the last passage, "... then did the warrior return to Heaven, departing into the rising sun."

Nabiki thought back over the story. "Seems that this 'heavenly warrior' went east when he left Jusenkyo. I don't know - it doesn't look like you have all that much to go on."

Ranma slumped her shoulders.

Nabiki grinned. "For a price, I could try to find some info on this 'divine object' and some of the drawings in the scroll."

Ranma thought it over. He really didn't have much choice at the moment.

Genma, human once more, popped up behind Ranma. "So, boy. Who are you going to pick?"

His chain of thought broken, Ranma gave him a puzzled look. "Huh?"

Soun popped up behind Nabiki. He gestured towards Kasumi. "This is my oldest daughter, Kasumi. She's nineteen." He patted Nabiki on the shoulder. "My middle daughter, Nabiki. Seventeen." He waved at Akane. "My youngest, Akane. She's sixteen. Pick one and she'll be your fiancée."

Ranma rolled her eyes. "_This_ again! I ain't marryin' no one!" She held her arms out as she displayed her current form. "If you hadn't noticed, I have a little problem I need to deal with first!"

Genma put on a look of determination. "This is for the family honor, boy! You _will_ marry one of Soun's daughters!"

Akane glared daggers at Ranma. "Like we'd marry _you_ in the first place!"

Ranma smirked at the angry girl. "You're just jealous!"

Akane snarled in her face, "WHAT?!"

"Well, you're stuck in that scrawny underdeveloped body, while _I_ got all these cool powers!"

"THAT'S IT!!!" Akane grabbed the table and swung it.

Ranma teleported just as the table would have connected. She reappeared across the room, pulled down one eyelid, and stuck out her tongue. "Nya! Too slow!"

Akane chased him out of the house with a roar. The pair could be seen briefly as they circled the house, Akane swinging the table and Ranma floating just out of range.

Nabiki cleared her throat. "So we are all agreed? _Akane_ will be Ranma's fiancée."

Genma and Soun linked arms and started dancing around. "The houses will be joined! Oh, what a grand day it is!"

They failed to see Ranma teleport into the living room, or the glare she shot the pair. She waited for Akane to come storming in.

Ranma moved in front of the celebrating duo and taunted Akane in a lilting voice, "Over here little girl!"

With a cry of frustration, Akane brought the table down in a fearful blow, only to have Ranma phase through it. The table connected solidly with Genma and Soun, smashing them to the floor, unconscious.

Nabiki moved up next to her flabbergasted sister. "Now _that_ they had coming!"

****

Late that evening, Kasumi found Ranma up in the guest room laying out one of the futons.

She pressed a rinse bucket with bath supplies into the girl's hands. "You need to go bathe, Ranma."

Ranma yawned. "Yeah, I guess."

Kasumi watched in amazement as Ranma simply phased through the floor.

Ranma floated through the kitchen wall on her way to the bathroom. She never noticed the bathroom door, or the occupied sign on it as she phased through the wall into the outer bath. Her battle-suit blinked out of existence, leaving her unclothed.

Akane picked up her bath supplies as she turned to leave the inner bath - just as Ranma phased through the door.

Ranma _did_ notice as Akane blew her top. "YOU - YOU PERVERT!!!" The slap rang through the house.

****

Katsuhito frowned. Ryoko kept appearing and disappearing. From his memories of seven hundred years ago, this meant that someone was cursed. Even when Ryoko couldn't be sensed, the master key remained; whoever was cursed had it with them. It was time he headed for Tokyo.

****

Inside the Juraian environment module, systems stirred as Ryu-Oh processed the information it received from the other royal trees. A course change was instituted. Upon arrival at the new destination, the guardians were activated. They reviewed the data and concurred. A small chamber in the front of the royal tree opened as Ryu-Oh let the internal stasis field drop. Crown Princess Ayeka walked out into the control center of her ship.

"Why have I been awakened? Has my brother been located?"

"No, Princess Ayeka. It is the space pirate Ryoko - she has been detected on colonized planet 0315, Earth." A blue planet covered in swirling white clouds filled the display. "Yosho was in pursuit of Ryoko, so it follows that where Ryoko is, Yosho may be nearby."

Ayeka observed the planet for a moment. "We must capture that woman and Ryo-Ohki, and return them for trial on Jurai. Descend and prepare to capture her." She continued to herself, "She is our only lead. I will _make_ her tell us where Yosho is!"

****

"School?" Ranma paused while eating breakfast.

Genma nodded. "Yes. We will be here for quite some time, so you will attend school with Nabiki and Akane."

Ranma frowned. School had always been a bore. He also felt this was some scheme by the fathers to get him closer to his "fiancée."

"I don't have any supplies -" He was cut-off as his father tossed him a book-bag.

"Now hurry up! You don't want to be late for your first day of school."

Nabiki paused before she left the house. "Ranma? Bring that divine object. I may want to study it more at the school."

Akane looked up from breakfast. "Hey! Wait up!"

Nabiki smirked. "You need to walk your fiancé to school." She left the house, leaving Akane fuming.

****

Ranma walked along the top of the fence as Akane stomped along the sidewalk. She would occasionally shoot him angry glares. Ranma pretended not to notice.

Akane finally had to ask. "Why are you walking on top of the fence?"

Ranma shrugged. "Balance practice. Not that I need it. It's just been pounded into me for so long to make everything into practice that I just do it out of habit."

"Well, you look weird! Get down here!"

Ranma rolled his eyes, then hopped down. An old lady casting water in an old water ritual to drive off demons wound up doing just the opposite. Ranma sighed as he grew slightly and swelled at the hips and chest. She glared at the old woman and continued down the street.

Akane blinked at the transformation. "Don't you want to change back?"

Ranma shrugged. "I can get some hot water at the school. It's not like this form's too bad. I might be a girl, but at least I'm not weak like -" She bit off the rest of her comment with a glance at Akane.

Akane was gritting her teeth. "Like who?!"

Ranma laughed nervously. "Look at the time! We'd better hurry or we'll be late!"

Akane shoved a finger into Ranma's chest. "Look! When we get to school, I don't know you, and you don't know me! Got it?!"

Ranma nodded, "Sure, anything you say." As Akane turned around and continued toward the school, Ranma rolled her eyes.

As they neared the school, Akane got more and more agitated. She charged the last block to the school gates yelling, "I HATE BOYS!!"

Ranma phased through the boundary wall and stopped in shock. Akane was fighting more than thirty boys dressed in a variety of sports uniforms.

"Ranma! Get inside!"

Ranma looked up at the school where Nabiki had called to her from the second story. She floated up to the window, ignoring the shocked looks on Nabiki's classmates. "What's all that about?" She hooked a thumb back at the courtyard.

Nabiki waved negligently. "They're just fighting her for a date. She does this every morning."

Ranma looked back where Akane was knocking out a sumo wrestler. "Really? Every morning?"

Nabiki frowned. "Don't think about interfering. Akane would probably take it out on you instead of them. Besides, she can handle them. _You_ need to go find some hot water, unless you intend to go to class like that?"

Ranma looked down at herself. "Oh, right. See you 'round." She dropped down a floor and phased through the wall into the school to find some hot water.

****

Akane sat fuming in her seat in class 1-F. How dare Ranma ignore her fight this morning! Apparently, he thought the fight beneath his notice!

Ranma stood in front of the class waiting for the teacher's introduction. Interestingly enough, most of the talk this morning was not about the new boy, or about Akane's morning battle. It was about the strange flying girl who had vanished in one of the boy's lavatories. The homeroom teacher rapped on his desk for attention.

"We have a new student today. He has recently returned from a trip to China." He turned to Ranma. "Please introduce yourself."

Ranma bowed. "Ranma Saotome of the Saotome School of Indiscriminate Grappling."

Everyone blinked once, then returned to gossiping about the mystery girl.

"I heard she's a ghost!"

"She was talking to Nabiki."

"I heard Nabiki summoned her from the nether world in a secret midnight mass!"

A booming voice from outside drowned out all the speculation. "RYOKO!! COME ON OUT!! I KNOW YOU ARE IN THERE!! YOU CANNOT ESCAPE ME!!"

Everyone crowded over to the windows. A large, wooden space ship hovered above the school.

"Who's Ryoko?"

"Maybe they think this is Tomobiki."

"That was a girl's voice, wasn't it?"

"Think she's after a cute, human boyfriend like that alien over at Tomobiki?"

"Idiot! Ryoko is a _girl's_ name! She's obviously after a cute, human _girlfriend_!"

The boys in the class started drooling at the image that invoked.

****

Ayeka watched the viewscreen. Nothing... the school sat peacefully. She frowned. "Are you sure this thing is on?"

One of her guardians answered. "Yes, your Highness."

"Then why hasn't she appeared? Are you sure she is here?"

"Energy patterns matching Ryoko are confirmed, one hundred percent certainty -"

She shook her head. "Never mind. Fire a warning shot nearby."

****

A flash of light appeared over the soccer field. A shock wave spread from the blast point, shattering every window within a three kilometer radius.

There were a few screams as the students were tossed to the floor by the blast amidst the broken glass.

"Guess she's not looking for a girlfriend after all!"

Ranma lightly brushed some glass off his pants. "I'd hate to be this Ryoko character."

Several students nodded in agreement.

Akane rolled her eyes, then grabbed Ranma's collar and pulled his to one side of the room.

She hissed in his ear. "Don't you think that it's a little too coincidental that this - person - shows up here right after you?"

Ranma looked shocked. "You don't think she's after me, do you?!"

"Well, add it up! Your cursed form is pretty alien, they came _here_ where you are, and that ship appears to be wooden, _just_ like the one in the scroll!"

Ranma forgot to keep his voice down. "You think some _heavenly warrior_ has come to chop up my cursed form?!"

Akane waved frantically. "Keep your voice down!" She looked around, then decided to take advantage of the chaos. She dragged Ranma out of the classroom after grabbing one of the water buckets used to punish tardy students.

Ranma noticed the bucket. "What's that for?"

Akane dumped it on him. "Go outside and see what happens!"

"WHAT?!" Ranma put her hands on her hips. "You just want me to go out there and get _shot_ so you don't have to marry me!"

Akane tried to look innocent. "That never crossed my mind." She pushed Ranma toward the wall. "You're supposed to be the big hero, so go out there before they decide the rest of us are expendable!"

Ranma looked shocked again. "You don't think they'd kill innocent people just to get me - er, my cursed form do you?"

Akane frowned. "That's just it - we don't know!"

Ranma thought it over. "Well, it's a martial artist's responsibility to protect the weak..." She pulled away from Akane and phased her head through the wall.

****

Ayeka watched the display closely. A head covered with wild cyan hair pulled back in a ponytail appeared through the wall. "_There_! Azaka! Kamidake! Go now! Capture her!"

****

Ranma had just pulled her head back through the wall as a large wooden cylinder appeared in the hall. "What the hell is that thing?!"

She heard Akane cry out, "Ranma! Behind you!"

She turned her head to see another floating just behind her. She lost consciousness as she was absorbed into the body of the thing.

_End Chapter 2_

More Author's Notes: Akane reading Chinese seems implied by certain panels of the manga. It's no big deal for an alternative universe story anyway. Akane is full of little talents that people never notice because they don't relate to martial arts or her domestic skills. Ranma isn't quite as upset at having this particular cursed form because it comes with a number of cool powers, but he's learning about the downside. 


	3. The Devil Is In The Details

A Ranma 1/2 / Tenchi Muyo_!_ Ryo-Ohki crossover series. Rated PG-13.

This story and a few others can be found on my web page at  
http://www.geocities.com/jlfenton65/  
jlfenton65@yahoo.com  
  
Ranma 1/2 is a trademark of Viz Communications, Inc. and was created by Rumiko Takahashi.  
Tenchi Muyo_!_ and its characters are the property of AIC and Pioneer LDC, Inc. and was created by Masaki Kajishima.  
This story is of my own derivation and is not intended for commercial purposes, so please don't sue me.  


Author's Notes: Someone asked about Ranma's power when in cursed form. I've seen some Tenchi fanfics where Ryoko is virtually helpless without her power jewels. In the OVA, Ryoko is able to fly, teleport, and phase through matter just fine without the jewels. She did seem to need at least the faux jewel to form the light sword and blasts she used at Tenchi's school, but I figure she'd probably be able to form at least a few blasts before running low on power. Someone might say that Ranma was capable of more ki blasts just a little later in the Ranma timeline; that was emotion-based ki, while this ki isn't. It remains to be seen what will happen with Ranma's cursed form when he figures that out.

Demon's Destiny

Chapter 3: The Devil Is In The Details

by Joe Fenton

Ranma gradually regained consciousness to find herself suspended upside down between the strange wooden cylindrical machines. Looking around, she noticed a young woman sitting at a table, sipping a drink.

"Ah! You're awake. It's been some time, hasn't it Ryoko?" She left the table and approached Ranma.

The only problem was, the girl wasn't speaking Japanese. Ranma only recognized the last word - Ryoko. It was that same name that had been asked for back at the school. She cleared her throat and replied in Japanese.

"I have no idea what you just said, and I have no idea who this Ryoko you are looking for is."

Ayeka frowned. "Why do you insist on using that barbaric tongue? I don't know what kind of game you are trying to play, but I _won't_ fall for it. You are going back to Jurai for trial, but not before you tell me where Yosho is!"

Ranma just hung there. There wasn't much else she could do. The girl either didn't speak Japanese, or chose not to. "Look, I might look like this person you are lookin' for, but I ain't them. It's a curse. Just get me some hot water and I'll prove it!"

"What are you talking about?! Curses?! Hot water?! Tell me where my brother is!" She gestured to Azaka and Kamidake. Arcs of electricity flared between the pair, causing Ranma to convulse, but not in pain.

Ranma burst into laughter. "HAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA... PLEASE STOP... HAHAHAHAHA... THAT TICKLES..." Ranma continued laughing.

Ayeka looked on in surprise. "This seems to have the opposite effect on you." Another gesture put a stop to the shock field.

Ranma tried to get control of herself. She had been laughing so hard, she was crying. "I _hate_ being tickled. My Pop has a stupid tickle attack he used to use on me." She shuddered at the memory. "Look, if you wanna talk to me, do it in Japanese. I don't speak whatever it was you were speakin' before."

Ayeka switched to Japanese. "I was asking, where is my brother?! Where is _Yosho_?!"

Ranma rolled her eyes. "I don't know you, and I _certainly_ don't know your brother. I'm tellin' you, my name is Ranma! Ranma Saotome of the Saotome School of Indiscriminate Grappling."

A pair of small metal spheres flew over to Ayeka. One addressed her, "Princess Ayeka. It is time for bed."

Ayeka frowned at the device. "Not _now_. I am questioning the prisoner."

"The Queen has given me strict orders concerning your care."

Ayeka capitulated to its request. "Oh, all right." She turned to her guardians. "Take her to a holding cell."

****

Katsuhito walked through Nerima as Funaho directed him to the master key. It wasn't hard to guess his destination, what with the Juraian battleship hovering low in the sky.

"RYOKO!! COME ON OUT!! I KNOW YOU ARE IN THERE!! YOU CANNOT ESCAPE ME!!"

Katsuhito wasn't surprised as a shot flared, and the windows of the shops around him shattered.

He adjusted his glasses. "Ah - the impetuosity of youth." He calmly resumed a leisurely walk toward Furinkan High. He reflected on how the city had changed since he had last visited. So much was different - a far cry from his shrine outside Okayama. He made a mental note to try to get out more.

He paused outside the school gates as Ryu-Oh rose into the sky, dwindling slowly until it could no longer be seen. He frowned. Funaho still placed the master key in the school, so the cursed individual must not have had it with them. He entered the grounds and walked up to the main doors. No one challenged him as he entered the building. It was one of the good points about being a Shinto priest - he could go almost anywhere unchallenged.

He climbed the stairs to the second floor and stopped near room 2-E. A pair of teenage girls were just outside the room talking. One girl had long black hair, and was holding two bookbags. She appeared to be upset.

"It's my fault! I fed him some nonsense about it being his responsibility to protect the school and made him go out there!"

The other had short brown hair. She placed a hand on the first girl. "He probably would have gone anyway. He'll be fine! He's probably tearing the ship apart from the inside right now."

Katsuhito decided to join in the conversation. "I wouldn't be too sure."

The brown-haired girl frowned at him. "And who might you be? How would you know?"

He ignored her and turned to the black-haired girl. "I believe you have something that belongs to my family. A sword hilt? Made of wood with three jewels in the base?"

The girl tightened her grip on one of the bags. "How do you know about it?"

He raised an eyebrow. "How do I know about the divine object used to seal the spring in Jusenkyo?" He smiled as the girls gaped. "It was an ancestor of mine who defeated the demon. I take it you are acquainted with the young man cursed in the pool?"

The black-haired girl nodded.

Katsuhito pushed his glasses up on the bridge of his nose. "Tell me, does the young man - _change_? Other than physically, I mean."

Akane clenched her hands into fists and growled, "Yeah! He turns into a rude egotistical _jerk_!"

Nabiki rolled her eyes. "Now Akane. You know perfectly well that Ranma is like that _all_ the time." She faced the elderly priest. "I take it you are worried that perhaps the demon is coming forward while Ranma is in his cursed form?"

Katsuhito nodded. "Yes. It is refreshing to see a pretty young girl with a sharp mind."

The brown-haired girl raised an eyebrow as a slight smirk pulled up the corners of her lips. "Flattery doesn't work on me, and you've yet to introduce yourself."

Katsuhito smiled and sketched a bow. "Katsuhito Masaki. My family has cared for a shrine outside of Okayama for the last seven hundred years. And you lovely ladies are - ?"

Akane fumed. Just another perverted old man. Why wasn't there anyone like Dr. Tofu or her father? Er, well, like Dr. Tofu at any rate.

Nabiki gave him a level stare. "Nabiki Tendo, and this is my sister Akane. So the Heavenly Warrior who defeated the demon came to Japan and settled in Okayama?"

Katsuhito returned the look. "Yes - according to the legend." He looked around the hall. While currently empty, there was no reason to expect it to stay that way. "Perhaps it would be better to discuss this someplace more private."

Akane glared in hostility. "Oh, you'd like that, wouldn't you?! We aren't going _anywhere_ with you!"

Nabiki frowned at her. "Settle down." She turned to Katsuhito. "We'll discuss this at our home. Our father and Mr. Saotome, the cursed boy's father, will wish to be a part of this discussion. Especially considering Ranma's abduction."

****

Ranma sat in the cell, wondering how she was going to escape. She'd tried to force the bars - such as they were. It seemed that the cell was like much of the rest of this ship - a living entity. The bars of the cell were vines that entangled you if you tried to pass through. They were also extremely tough. Ranma had not been able to force her way through. They also inhibited whatever power allowed Ranma's cursed form to pass through walls and other objects. All in all, it was a very effective way to keep someone from escaping. She ran her hand through the grass. This was more like a park than a space ship.

A noise in the bushes nearby caught her attention. She could just make out someone peeking through the branches.

"Hey! Is someone there?!" She moved over to the vines, stopping just short of them so she wouldn't be entangled again. "Hello? I won't hurt you."

A young girl poked her head through the bushes. She had light blue-green hair pulled into two long tails, and looked rather nervous. "You're a bad person. You hurt all those people."

Ranma gave an exasperated sigh. "I know I look like this Ryoko character, and I know she was supposed to be some kinda demon, but that ain't me! I'm not this Ryoko. Hell - I'm not even a girl! I'm a guy and this is just a curse I got in China."

The girl was petting some kind of animal in the crook of her arm. Ranma looked at it nervously before deciding it wasn't a cat. She moved back away from the edge of the cell and sat down.

"Look, I can prove it. Just go get some hot water and leave it just outside the bars." She gave the girl a pleading look. "Please! I'm not Ryoko, but I can't prove it without hot water."

The girl frowned, then disappeared into the shrubbery. Ranma hoped she was going for some hot water. A short time later, the girl was back holding a cup in one hand. Her pet scampered at her feet as she held out a wooden handle that looked suspiciously like the divine object Ranma had brought from China.

"You just stay over there until I set this down and move away." She waved the thing in Ranma's direction.

Ranma shivered. If it was anything like the divine object, she wasn't about to risk it. She had seen what happened to her pop the few times he'd tried to handle it directly. "No problem. I ain't comin' anywhere near that thing."

The girl set the cup down, then quickly backed away. "Okay. There's the hot water."

Ranma stood smoothly and slowly approached the edge of the cell. She didn't want to spook the kid. This might be her only chance to get back home. She reached through the bars and pulled the cup inside. She made sure the kid was watching, then upended the cup over her head. Ranma sighed in relief as he felt the familiar change back to his normal form.

The little girl was clearly shocked at seeing the feared space pirate Ryoko change into a young man with black hair pulled back in a ponytail. She knew from reports that Ryoko could split her form, but not change it. Even more telling was the sense she got through her link to the Royal Trees - this really _wasn't_ Ryoko!

Ranma smiled as nicely as he could. "See? This is who I really am. My name is Ranma, Ranma Saotome of the Saotome School of Indiscriminate Grappling." He sat back down again. "You're probably wonderin' how I changed like that."

The girl nodded dumbly. She grabbed her pet and started stroking it unconsciously.

"Well, 'bout ten years ago, my pop took me on a trainin' trip. He wanted me to be the best martial artist of my generation. We traveled all over Japan trainin' at every dojo we could. Finally, there was nowhere left to train, so we headed to China." He wasn't sure the girl understood any of this, but kept going.

"After a few months, we wound up at this trainin' ground. Only, this was no ordinary trainin' ground. The place was cursed! The place has all a these pools, and if somethin' drowns in these pools, whoever falls into the pool after that is cursed to change into whatever drown there when they get splashed with cold water. Hot water will change them back to normal." He waved at himself. "I had the bad luck to fall in this pool where a demon had drown after fightin' some Heavenly Warrior seven hundred years ago. For the last month, cold water has been changing me to look like this Ryoko character, but it's not who I am. Ryoko died seven hundred years ago."

The girl looked torn. "This Heavenly Warrior who fought Ryoko - what happened to him?"

Ranma shook his head. "I wish I knew. The guide gave me an old scroll and a divine object he claimed belonged to the warrior, but all I got from the scroll was that the warrior left the place after defeatin' Ryoko and may have headed East. I've tryin' to find anything about him or the divine object so that I can get rid a this curse."

The girl now looked a little curious. "This divine object - what does it look like?"

Ranma gestured at her. "It looks kinda like that thing you were pointin' at me earlier, 'cept this thing is about a foot long, looks kinda like a sword hilt, and has three red jewels in the base."

The girl thought about it. It certainly sounded like Tenchi-ken, except for the jewels in the base. "Where is it?"

Ranma tried not to look too excited. "It's back with my stuff at the school where I was captured. If you take me there, I can show it to you."

The girl considered it, then pointed her device at the cell. There was a soft glow, then the vines drew apart, allowing Ranma to exit the cell.

He cautiously exited, then slowly approached. He was trying to avoid scaring her. He gave her a small bow. "Thanks for believin' me. I really don't mean you or the other girl any harm. I'm a martial artist, and it's a martial artist's duty to protect the weak."

The girl smiled, then returned the bow. "I'm Sasami."

Ranma returned the smile. "It's nice to meet you, Sasami." He glanced again at her pet. He certainly didn't recognize the thing. "Cute pet. At least it's not a c-cat."

She looked puzzled. "What's a cat?"

Ranma shivered. "It's an _evil_ creature, with claws and teeth, that likes to bite and scratch..." He trailed off and tried to divert his thoughts from the subject.

Sasami noted his reactions. "It sounds awful!"

Ranma nodded. "If you come across one, just run!" He looked around. "This is pretty strange for a space ship." He shrugged. "Not that I been in any."

The little girl giggled lightly. "You're silly!" She looked at him speculatively. He was rather handsome and pretty nice. It was a shame he had to wind up with such a horrible curse, but she was sure that once they found Yosho, he'd be able to straighten everything out. She had a sudden inspiration. "Well, if you want to go back, we'll need something first."

Ranma looked at her quizzically. "What?"

Sasami gave him a mischievous look. "Follow me. I'll tell you on the way." She started off through the brush.

Ranma hesitated a moment, then followed. They traversed a fair distance as Ranma listened with half an ear. His main train of thought was on building a map in his head. The measurements didn't match; it was as if the interior of the ship was larger than what he had seen from the ground. Was he even on that same ship anymore? He was brought back to reality as Sasami stopped behind some brush a short distance from a small structure.

Sasami waved at it. "This is my sister's bedroom. We'll wait here for her to go to sleep."

Ranma nodded and settled down to wait. It was only a short while later that the lights went out. Ranma rose silently to his feet.

"So I just gotta get the headpiece she was wearing earlier, right?"

Sasami nodded. "That's right. She's asleep now, so you can sneak in and get it." She didn't get a response and glanced over where Ranma had been. He was nowhere to be seen. "Where'd he go?"

Ranma moved soundlessly through the light brush. He didn't like having to do this; it was too much like some of the "games" Genma had made Ranma play when he was younger. He was only doing it for two reasons: first, it was Sasami's sister - if they got caught, Ranma knew Sasami wouldn't come to any harm; second, the older girl gave him the willies. She had captured him with ease, and showed a ruthlessness during her short interrogation that made his skin crawl. He wanted to be away from the ship before the girl found out he was out of his cell. Sasami was the key to this, but apparently, her sister's headpiece was the key to the ship.

He slipped over the rail onto a balcony and slipped into the small building. A quick look around revealed no sign of the headpiece, so he moved into the bedroom proper. Sasami's sister lay asleep in a huge bed. She also still wore the headpiece.

Figures, he thought to himself. He smirked slightly - it would still be no trouble. He might not care for the skills he had acquired from Genma in his early years, but he still took pride in being the best. He slipped up to the bed, then stopped before actually reaching for the item. In the low light, he noticed something he hadn't during the interrogation - the thing seemed to be made of the same material as the divine object and Sasami's key. He silently mouthed a few choice curses. It would make it more difficult, but still not beyond his ability. He slipped off his shirt and folded it several times.

Outside, Sasami giggled as she thought about what would happen when the boy awakened Ayeka. Her sister needed something to take her mind off of the long trip searching for their missing brother. She giggled a little more as she parted the brush to look at her sister's abode - then jumped with a muffled shriek as Ranma appeared beside her. She looked back to the structure, then at Ranma. He wasn't wearing his shirt. The reason he wasn't wearing his shirt became evident as he held it out to her.

She took the proffered shirt from Ranma, who began shaking his hands lightly.

"Damn! Even wrapped up, those things _sting_! How can you hold them?"

Sasami unwrapped the shirt from around Ryu-Oh's key and held it in shock. How had he gotten it off Ayeka? Without waking her?!

She looked at him dumbly. "Hm? Oh, anyone within the family can handle the keys of other family members." She pouted a moment as her plans were spoiled. He was _supposed_ to have awakened Ayeka! Then they would all have fun together! But now she had the key and Ayeka was still asleep. What could they _possibly_ do _now_?

Ranma got a sinking feeling as the little girl went from a pout to a slightly crazed smile.

****

Kasumi addressed the elderly priest. "Tea?"

Katsuhito gave her a nice smile. "Yes please. That would be wonderful." He waited while Kasumi poured, then took a sip. "Ah! This is excellent!" Kasumi smiled at the compliment.

Genma finally lost his patience. "Why are we sitting around drinking tea when my boy has been kidnapped by aliens?!"

Nabiki rolled her eyes, then jumped to her feet. "He's right! Kasumi! Go gas up the flying saucer so we can take off immediately!"

Kasumi hesitated. "Flying saucer? Do we have one of those?"

Akane snorted. "Of course not! That's her point! What could we _possibly_ do?!"

Katsuhito set his teacup down. "We can finish our tea. I don't think they will leave just yet."

Soun had been crying non-stop since the girls got home. He perked up at this revelation. "Really?"

Genma frowned. "And how do you know that? Why wouldn't they?"

Katsuhito pulled the master key from his robe. "Because we still have this. I don't think they will leave without at least checking on it. In the meantime, Ranma is not in any danger."

Genma's eyes widened. "How did you get that?!" Even more important in his mind was how he could hold the blasted thing. Genma had had several bad experiences with the item.

Nabiki shrugged. "We gave it to him. After seeing Ranma's demonstration of it's effect on you yesterday, I figured it was the quickest way to verify his identity."

Katsuhito nodded. "Only myself or my grandson can handle it without ill effect."

Nabiki gave him an appraising look. "It must be strange to learn you're part alien."

"Not as strange as having a houseguest who changes into a demon when splashed with cold water, I would imagine."

"I guess Ranma doesn't actually change into a demon." Nabiki sat back down and picked up her teacup. "Probably just some alien criminal wanted for interplanetary smuggling or some such nonsense." She swirled the tea around as she thought about all the ramifications of aliens. It was almost too much - first _real_ magic, then aliens. What other long-held beliefs would be shattered by the appearance of the Saotomes?

Long experience at being chased by local authorities and shopkeepers gave Genma an insight Nabiki lacked. "They wouldn't have spent seven hundred years looking for whoever this _Ryoko_ is for anything as minor as smuggling." He actually looked worried. After all, if he couldn't get Ranma back, he might actually have to work for a living... assuming his wife let him live of course.

Katsuhito nodded. "That is a very good point, but we will straighten this all out when they come to retrieve the divine object." He knew his half-sister would come for it sooner or later. Probably after interrogating the cursed boy. She would get no information from the boy and have to come after the master key, seeking the answers he did not have.

The phone rang and Kasumi moved to answer it. "Moshi moshi. Akane? Just a moment." She held the receiver out. "Akane, it's your friend Yuka."

Akane took the phone. "Hi Yuka. What's up?" She listened for a moment, then looked at the receiver in shock. "WHAT?!" She turned to the others. "Quick! Turn on the TV!" She held the receiver to her ear. "Sorry about that. Thanks for the call. I'll tell you what's going on tomorrow at school. Bye-bye!" She dropped the receiver on the cradle and hurried over to where everyone was gathered around the television.

It was a good thing Katsuhito had left his tea at the table - he would have _completely_ blown his image by spraying tea all over Mr. Tendo. It took him a moment to regain his composure.

"_Again, this is Mai Kenjisho reporting from Tokyo harbor where a vessel from space appears to be playing _tag_ with local aircraft_." The cameraman was focused behind her in the air where a helicopter from a local station was attempting to follow the huge wooden ship as it swooped around it. "_As you can see, it completely eludes the helicopter despite its enormous size. As yet, it has not made any hostile actions, but we have word that the Self-Defense Force is scrambling jets to attempt to intercept the craft_."

Katsuhito couldn't believe what he was seeing. What did Ayeka think she was doing? At least earlier over the school, she had the counter-measures active to avoid detection. Funaho told him through their link that no such precautions were in effect this time.

Akane moved over next to him, staring raptly at the screen. "What do you want to bet that this is all Ranma's fault?"

Nabiki shook her head. "You know, when I said earlier that Ranma was probably tearing the ship apart from the inside, I was just trying to be supportive. I never _really_ thought he would be."

****

Ranma stood beside Sasami on the control deck of the ship. The two wooden things she called Juraian Guardians were positioned at the two control interfaces. Various displays showing scenes from outside the ship floated above them. Ranma flinched as they flashed past another helicopter.

"I _really_ don't think you should be doin' this."

Sasami laughed in delight as several smaller craft tried to keep pace. "I never get to have any fun. This might be my only chance."

Ranma sighed. At least he was back in his normal form and out of the cell. The girl would tire of this quickly and then he'd be able to get back to the Tendos. He managed not to flinch as they almost ran into a small plane.

Azaka turned slightly toward the pair. "Princess Sasami, I must agree with the boy. This is not appropriate protocol for flying within the zone of a culture at this level."

Sasami frowned at the guardian. "I have the key, so you have to do as I say!"

If a log could sigh, this one did. "Yes Princess."

Sasami caught sight of Mount Fuji on one of the displays. "Ooooo! Let's go there!"

Kamidake activated another display, this one showing tactical information on the vessels detected on rapid approach. "Princess, several vessels carrying low-grade explosive missiles are approaching our vector."

Ranma started to sweat. "Uh - that sounds like the Self-Defense Force. They probably don't like what you're doin'."

Sasami waved them off. "They can't hurt Ryu-Oh. I want to see the mountain!"

Azaka tried to interject his own input. "But Princess -"

Sasami stamped a foot. "No! I'm going to see the mountain!"

Ranma was watching the tactical display. Several smaller indicators appeared ahead of the jets and rapidly approached their position. "Uh, guys?"

Kamidake was getting worried. "Princess, several missiles are converging on this ship."

Ranma wasn't ready to panic yet. This was an advanced space vessel. Earth missiles couldn't possibly damage the ship, right?

The ship lurched as the missiles detonated on impact. Several spars on the port side of the ship exploded in a shower of splinters and fell to the bay below.

Azaka gave a status report in a slightly frantic voice. "The port side displacers have been damaged."

Sasami looked panicked. "How could those missiles have damaged the ship?! The defensive screens should have easily stopped them!"

Kamidake replied in a small voice. "You haven't ordered the defensive screens to be activated, Princess."

_Now_ Ranma was ready to panic. "Get us out of here!"

Sasami wrung her hands. "Ayeka's going to kill me!" She'd taken the key, and now she'd damaged Ayeka's precious Ryu-Oh! "I don't know what to do!"

The ship lurched again as another barrage struck it. Ranma lost his footing and slid back into the large tree that dominated the control deck. The older girl materialized on the deck, still wearing her nightclothes.

"Azaka! Kamidake! What is going on here?!"

Azaka sounded apologetic. "I'm sorry Princess Ayeka, but Princess Sasami had the key and told us -"

Ayeka ignored him and moved over to her sister. "Sasami, give me the key!"

Sasami pulled the headpiece off and handed it to her. "I'm sorry Ayeka! I didn't mean any harm!"

Ayeka fit the key in place. "Raise the defensive screens, activate the counter-measures, then withdraw at once!"

Kamidake swiveled toward her. "We have sustained heavy damage to the port side displacers. We should remain within the atmosphere while the self-repair units are in operation."

Ayeka gave it quick consideration. "Do we have a lock on the master key's location?"

"Yes, Princess. It's -"

"Never mind! Just take us to the closest unpopulated area by the key!" She gave a sigh as the ship moved away from Tokyo bay and the jets. With the immediate problem taken care of, she turned to confront the next. She waved at where Ranma was holding onto the tree. "Who is this person? What is he doing on the control deck?" She held her power in check. Ryu-Oh informed her through the link that this was not Ryoko. The boy was a negligible threat, but she was curious as to how he got aboard. More disturbing was the fact that Ryoko was no longer aboard. How had she escaped? Sasami would have _never_ let that horrid criminal lose.

Sasami looked like she was about to cry. "I'm sorry Ayeka. It's all my fault. I took Ryoko some hot water, only she wasn't Ryoko. She was actually a boy, and then I wanted to have some fun, so I thought if we were to wake you up, but then he _didn't_ wake you! And then I had the key, and Tsunami would _never_ do anything fun, and I just thought -"

Ayeka put a hand to her forehead and closed her eyes. She was getting a headache. She tried to sort through her sister's apology, then her eyes snapped open. She whirled on Sasami. "Wait a minute! You took Ryoko some hot water! Then she became a boy?!"

Sasami cringed a little and nodded.

Ayeka whirled toward Ranma. "You! You're Ryoko!!"

Ranma growled in anger. "I ain't this Ryoko! How many times do I gotta tell you! It's a curse! A curse I picked up in China!" He threw up his arms in exasperation. "Geez! You are _such_ an uncute tomboy!"

Ayeka turned purple. "How _dare_ you call me that!! I'll have you know I am the most beautiful girl in the empire! Of course, a simple-minded barbarian like yourself could _hardly_ be expected to know a lady you you meet one."

Ranma rolled his eyes. "Well, you be sure to let me know when I meet one."

Ayeka clenched her fists in anger. "Why you..."

The tension was broke suddenly as Sasami started to giggle. "See! I knew we'd all have fun as soon as you woke up!"

Ranma sat down. "I give up! You all just figure out what you're gonna do, then maybe if it isn't too much of a hassle, let me know."

Ayeka looked at the boy suspiciously. All the ship instruments said that this boy _wasn't_ Ryoko. But if Sasami was telling the truth, and Sasami would never lie to her, he _had_ been. But hadn't Ryoko told her earlier that she was a boy? That she needed hot water to change?

"You there, barbarian boy. Tell me about this so-called curse."

Ranma gave a long sigh. He would be telling this story over and over for the rest of his life unless he found the damn cure. "Just take me back to where you kidnapped me from. I got the divine object and a scroll that explains the whole thing. There's also someone else with a curse like mine to help prove I'm not lyin'."

Ayeka frowned. "Divine object?"

Sasami piped up. "It what they call the master key. Only from Ranma's description, it seems to have three red gems in the hilt now."

That got Ayeka's attention. "Three red gems?!" She tried to think back to the interrogation. Did Ryoko have her gems? She couldn't remember. "You! Barbarian! Change back! I need to see something!"

Ranma glared. "I _have_ a name."

Ayeka gave him an imperious glare. "I _command_ you to change!"

Ranma jumped to his feet. "I don't take orders from no uncute, overbearing -" He stopped as cold water poured over his head, triggering the change. She glanced to the side where Sasami was holding an empty pitcher, then froze as dozens of little logs suddenly surrounded her.

Ayeka saw the black-haired boy change into the space pirate Ryoko. Her first instinct was to summon her Jurai power to protect Sasami from the threat. She stopped short of activating her power as she remembered that this _might_ be that boy. She had the scanners focus on Ryoko. Every scan available said this _was_ Ryoko. Ayeka looked at her wrists and throat. _They were gone_! She could remember those blazes as Ryoko and Ryo-Ohki fired on her in orbit above Jurai.

"So your jewels are in the master key... that is how Yosho finally beat you!" Her voice was low, the awe at her brother's feat clearly heard.

Ryoko just glared, but didn't move. "Are you stupid as well as a tomboy?! How many times do I gotta say this! I! AM! NOT! RYOKO!!!"

That attitude cut right through to Ayeka. It really _was_ the barbarian boy! Then she realized she had just been insulted once again. "I will not take that from anyone, _especially_ a barbarian such as yourself!" She activated her powers just a bit, electricity sparking between the miniature logs.

Ranma bit back a cry of pain. Maybe it hadn't been such a good idea to antagonize her.

Sasami tugged on Ayeka's arm. "Ayeka! Stop! You're hurting him!"

Ayeka allowed her power to dissipate. "Okay Sasami. But you stay away from her - uh - him! Oh, _whatever_ it is!"

Ranma glared. "I'm a _guy_, dammit!"

Sasami giggled, diffusing the situation.

Ranma sighed. This was going to be a _long_ day. "Are we there yet?"

****

Ayeka looked up from the scroll to the panda sitting nearby. Bizarre as it seemed, both the panda and Ryoko seemed to be curses acquired at this cursed training ground in China. "So Yosho defeated Ryoko and sealed the spring with the master key to prevent anyone from being cursed?"

The panda held up a sign. 'That's right!'

Ayeka blinked. That was just too strange.

Ranma glared at the animal. "Yeah, until my idiot old man decided to try and steal the thing and wound up getting me cursed anyway!"

The panda held up a sign. 'That's right -' Then flipped it around. 'Hey! Who are you calling an idiot?!'

The pair started fighting - again. The two had been going at it almost non-stop since they arrived at the Tendo residence.

Ayeka considered the matter. "Ryoko was here. Yosho was here. The master key is _still_ here. Yosho may still be here as well."

The elderly priest looked thoughtful. "Well, I wish you luck on your search. In the meantime, you will need a place to stay while your ship is under repair and you are searching. As a relative, I offer the hospitality of my shrine. It is in an out of the way location where you won't be disturbed. Considering all the trouble you stirred up here in Tokyo, a change of location may be in order."

Ayeka frowned. Was this man a relative? He could hold the master key, and claimed his grandson could as well. He claimed to be descended from the man in the scroll. She did not wish to pursue that thought any further at this point. She would find Yosho first, then deal with the rest. She gave him a small bow. "Thank you for your offer. On behalf of myself and my sister, we thank you and accept."

Ranma finished pounding on his father and came back inside. "Oh, _now_ she's all nice and proper!" He turned to Katsuhito. "You better keep an eye on her! She has a temper as ugly as her face -"

The table smashing him over the head interrupted him. Ayeka set the table down as she tried to get her temper under control.

Akane nodded absently. "Good follow through. The jerk had that coming since he arrived."

Ayeka smiled at her. "Thank you. You cannot imagine how unbearably annoying that boy is."

Akane snorted. "He hasn't used Ryoko's powers to peep on you in the bath yet, has he?"

Ayeka glared at the unconscious boy. "He wouldn't!"

Akane nodded.

Ranma started to come around and groaned. Ayeka hit him with the table again.

"Stay down, pervert!"

Akane smiled. She liked this princess.

Katsuhito cleared his voice. "I believe the boy should come too."

Ayeka whirled on him. "WHAT?!"

He continued calmly. "He would be under a great deal of scrutiny if he were to remain due to his curse and your appearance. We cannot in good conscious leave the boy here to face this trouble. We might also come across something that may help him."

Ayeka grimaced. She hadn't exactly been thinking about the boy when she took him. She had been certain it was Ryoko. The only plans she had for Ryoko was a short stay in a cell on Ryu-Oh followed by a much longer stay in the Galaxy Police maximum security facilities. "Ohhhh, all right! If he must!" She grabbed Ranma by the collar and started to shake him, the fact that he was still out went unheeded. "But if you try _anything_ at all -"

Genma finally reappeared, human once more. "The boy's fiancée must accompany him of course!"

Soun was quick to leap on the bandwagon. "Yes! This is a matter of _honor_ between our families!"

Akane glared at the men. "I'm not going anywhere with that freak!"

Nabiki smiled at her sister. "It'll get you away from Kuno and the other boys for awhile."

Akane stopped dead. "I guess a little time in the country would be nice... but I'm still not marrying him!"

Katsuhito adjusted his glasses. "It would not be proper for you to live among strangers by yourself. Perhaps if your sister accompanied you?"

Nabiki considered the matter. Things at Furinkan were getting old. Maybe a change of scenery would do her good. Besides, she might be able to make some kind of deal with these aliens. A little advanced technology could very well make her a fortune! She shrugged. "Sure. I don't mind." This would also give Kasumi quite a bit more free time. Maybe she could do something for herself while they where away.

Sasami jumped up and gave a cheer. "YEA!! We'll have so much fun!"

Soun pulled Genma to the side. "Maybe one of us should go along."

Genma considered the matter. Soun would not leave him alone with Kasumi, so what he was _really_ saying was that _he_ should go along with them. He considered the meals he had had since arriving at the Tendo home, and what he might look forward to at this shrine.

"I don't think that is necessary. If you can't trust a priest, who can you trust? Besides, my boy will be there to protect them. Maybe some time alone without any parental supervision will encourage them to accept the engagement."

Soun nodded. "Yes, perhaps they might." He burst into tears. "My little girl is becoming a woman!"

Akane face-faulted. "DADDY!!"

Ayeka made a mental note to keep an eye out for the younger girl. Akane was such a nice girl. She reminded Ayeka of herself at that age.

Katsuhito smiled. "Well, now that that's all settled, I suggest you gather whatever you will need so we can depart."

Akane and Nabiki started up the stairs to their rooms as Genma dumped Ranma's pack on the unconscious boy.

Katsuhito sighed. It was going to be a _long_ trip.

_End Chapter 3_

More Author's Notes: I didn't want things to linger around Nerima. I really couldn't see everyone staying at the dojo. Besides, it helps make this story a little more different than the normal Ranma story. It was just a matter of who was going to go. The ones left behind will still have a part, it just won't be as big. I liked the idea of Akane and Ayeka identifying with each other. They both have wicked tempers, try to act innocent and lady-like at times, and have bloated self-images. And NO, this will not be a Ranma / Akane story. I still haven't decided who to go with yet, but it won't be Akane. I have enough of those already. 


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